select @@global.datetime_format; @@global.datetime_format %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s select @@session.datetime_format; ERROR HY000: Variable 'datetime_format' is a GLOBAL variable show global variables like 'datetime_format'; Variable_name Value datetime_format %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s show session variables like 'datetime_format'; Variable_name Value datetime_format %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s select * from information_schema.global_variables where variable_name='datetime_format'; VARIABLE_NAME VARIABLE_VALUE DATETIME_FORMAT %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s select * from information_schema.session_variables where variable_name='datetime_format'; VARIABLE_NAME VARIABLE_VALUE DATETIME_FORMAT %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s set global datetime_format="foo"; ERROR HY000: Variable 'datetime_format' is a read only variable set session datetime_format="foo"; ERROR HY000: Variable 'datetime_format' is a read only variable